


Cut from the same cloth.

by Yui_Miyamoto



Category: Kari-gurashi no Arietti | The Secret World of Arrietty
Genre: Cross-Posted on FanFiction.Net, Cross-Posted on LiveJournal, F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-12-24
Updated: 2020-07-13
Packaged: 2021-03-08 19:07:58
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 11,220
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27241678
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Yui_Miyamoto/pseuds/Yui_Miyamoto
Summary: It’s been years since they’ve met, but Shou hasn’t given up on meeting Arrietty again.
Relationships: Arrietty Clock/Sho
Comments: 4
Kudos: 8





	1. Prologue - The perimeter.

**Disclaimer: Arrietty belongs to Mary Norton and Studio Ghibli.  
  
**  
“Your office remains unchanged, Sir.”  
  
“Thank you.” Her young boss nods his head discreetly though calmly disappointed as he flips another paper on the clipboard he’s reading. It’s another proposal for land ownership.  
  
He knows his secretary is holding back the urge to roll her eyes at this peculiarity after hearing her whisper outside of the door one day that she wonders why she has to check his desk for any missing items every day. And she had to report to him at the same exact time every day, wherever he was in the office. It was an extra bonus on her paycheck every month, an unusual fine print on her contract.  
  
Today, she’d stepped inside a meeting and sits down to take notes for his later reference.  
  
“This isn’t good enough.” The subtle sharp tone makes the others in the room roast in their seats.  
Raising her head slightly, she stops writing and blinks at him, pushing up her glasses. Unfazed, he continues to skim, then finally flips the stack back into place.  
  
Until today, he’s never shown any kind of emotion except determination, if that could be labeled a ‘feeling’. She knows because she’s been with him for seven years, since the first day he stepped into the vice president’s office.  
  
Silently, the young man glimpses briefly into everyone’s faces, especially the lawyers. He knows exactly what they’re all thinking: While others bought properties around the #1 living space in Tokyo for business, he’s accumulating them for a different goal. What’s his motivation if money isn’t an object?  
  
There’s a crazed look in his eyes, the one that tells he’s been searching for treasure.  
  
“You must get that land at all costs.”  
The shocked group is dismissed and the twenty-five-year-old takes a long drawn out breath as they exit the room. He’s been buying the land little by little for the moment he could measure the area with a child’s ruler. Using his hands and memory, he’s projected and estimated all these years. He knew her height, how far it would take for her to travel in a day (whether walking, running or sailing by teapot).  
  
Each day expands the perimeter of her going further away.  
  
Gossiping in the elevators, they thought he’d finally gone mad, and with the company president being so conscientious over insignificant details, it was no wonder why he’s stayed single. Was a safety pin or a cube of sugar missing? Why was this even on the list of secretarial duties? What did it matter anyway?  
  
But to him, that little information equaled the dream of his soul. It etched the lines to stay healthy, to fulfill their promise to one another…  
He didn’t care that they were from different worlds, as long as she existed.  
  
The secretary remains standing by the door behind as he places the clipboard on the oblong table to walk towards the intense afternoon light, the direction that faces his house.  
  
She clears her throat. “Sir, if I’m not being presumptuous, I think you should take a day off.”  
He shakes his head. “Thank you for your concern, Ms. Kuroki, but I can’t.”  
With a polite bow, she leaves the room and he lets out a deep sigh.  
  
Under the fractured angle of the shimmering particles through the glass windows, he looks out and into the city below. “Was it worth it to stay alive for that one hope?”  
Lost in thought, his bangs fall forward, blocking his image: A white shirt, pristine as the start of the day, pressed pants that always feel uncomfortable, restraining. The leather shoes that crinkle with heels making a soft tapping sound on the ground, reflecting his voice whenever he spoke: smooth, unperturbed, composed.  
  
That was the very thing that troubled his secretary though. He seemed to conduct all his business accordingly, never raising his voice, clothes perfectly arranged…a child who’d never gotten dirty or played outside. That was understandable having said he was sickly, but being a capable adult, it made this gentle side more delicate, additionally breakable.  
  
However the mask remains intact, or as far as she is within the room limits. She thinks as she walks towards her desk, “Why was today an exception?”  
  
Catching a small flicker coming from his right side, he leans towards a pot of preserved leaves next to the windows, replicas of the ones she hid behind in his bedroom. He pushes his cheek against the flimsy, woven surfaces, wanting to feel her breath on his skin again.  
  
_“Shou…”_  
Fully tasting her voice in his mind, he closes his eyes for a moment.  
_“I hope you…have a happy life.”_  
  
Still leaning onto the everlasting green leaves, Shou stares beyond the shopping arcades, the train station, the park that leads towards his house. He chose this building for that particular purpose.  
  
“I know you’re still out there. Somewhere.”  
  
After a few minutes, he leaves the meeting room with the clipboard under his arm and enters his office. He pulls out two long pieces of paper and spreads them out onto the rectangular fine-grained oak desk. Overlapping his homemade maps with the present one of Kichijouji, Shou hungrily analyzes both from a bird’s eye view, marking the distance and possible routes she may have taken that day.  
  
“Arrietty.”  
  
**  
Tsuzuku… / To be continued…**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> To tell the truth, the year Arrietty came out, I wrote many pages…actually, chapters for this fic. And then, my comp crashed so I couldn’t retrieve it. Still, this fic lived on in my head. Again, I tried and wrote them onto pieces of paper, but I’ve lost that draft too.  
> There were certain scenes that I’ve forgotten from both of those drafts, but the feeling remained for many, many years. And maybe those weren’t meant to be uploaded while this one was. I am glad though.
> 
> I hope this time I can do it justice. I want fluff this time! ;_; I have never forgotten the ending I wanted.
> 
> Ack…I should be doing Chiisana for Hikaru no Go, but I wanted something to balance out the angst. ^^;;;
> 
> Love,  
> Yui


	2. Ch. 1 – Never let you go.

**Disclaimer: Arrietty belongs to Mary Norton and Studio Ghibli.  
  
**

One year ago…  
  
After the sea of black suits and dresses dispersed from his sight, he closed the front door and the curtains of his house. Taking a long, slow glance around with tired, raw eyes, tears brimmed again on his eyelids. He fell to the ground with a thump, palms pushing on the mahogany floors. Water rained onto the floor before him as his fingers pressed further into the creaking wood.  
  
His body faced the portrait of Aunt Sadako, but he couldn’t lift his head any longer. It hung in defeat. “You were the only kind one. Now, I have no one left…I’m…” Within the absolute stillness and being free of prying eyes, the realization hit him with its full force.  
  
_I’m all alone._ The house reverberated his unspoken words as he sobbed silently to himself.  
  
“No…” a small whisper replied, “You’ll always have me, Shou.”  
  
He raised his head and looked around. Even if it was wishful and wistful thinking on his part, the dimming light inside his heart began to brighten just a little. The warmth of that voice, even if it was just in his head, made the longing stronger, if not more achingly earnest.  
  
The young man closed his eyes tightly, making a wish.  
“That’s right.” He put his hand onto his heart. The red clothespin pushed against his flesh over the cloth.  
_  
My life was no longer my own when you gave me this._  
  
From that time on, he never shed another tear.  
  
**+/+/+/+/+/**  
  
Within a year, after fully inheriting his family business, he finally bought an apartment in the city, despite all of its conundrums. But of course, he couldn’t ever give up the house where even his great grandparents had lived in. So every weekend, he’d take up residence there.  
  
Everything remained as it had since Arrietty moved away. Wanting to preserve every trace of her, he saved all the belongings they’d left behind, just in case they ever returned. His bedroom was spotless, the dollhouse sometimes more so. It was fully restored, along with other things he thought she’d need.  
As the weeks flew by, elaborate flourishes were placed inside, mostly created by the artisans around Musashino City who knew him by name, especially those near Inokashira Park.  
  
The “incident” still pissed him off.  
Following his surgery, he asked his aunt if they could find another person to help around the house. Aunt Sadako listened when he explained the lunacy behind the pest controllers and she believed his words, outlandish as they seemed. So for once in his life, he was grateful to his mother: For sending him to a place he could call home.  
  
Haru was fired not too long after. He’d always felt strange around Haru, but his suspicions were confirmed with the maliciousness she’d shown towards Arrietty’s mother. He never forgave her for it.  
  
And despite all he’d done, Arrietty still gave him the baby clothespin from her lustrous hair.  
  
Even if he was the one who instigated the avalanche of calamities, he regretted his persistence. Why couldn’t he help getting to know her? Why couldn’t he satiate his curiosity until it almost destroyed her existence?  
Underlying it all, he knew why. He knew it the morning he tasted her tears on his index finger the second he could no longer see the floating teapot.  
  
During this past year, they were coercing him to marry. The people around him pushed that it was time even though he never seemed to be interested in anyone, and questioned behind his back if he was gay. But he brushed it all off and focused on all the land proposals coming to both of his desks in Shinjuku and Kichijouji. Things were going as he’d projected.  
One more left, or so he’d calculated from his maps and ruler.  
_  
How long is a Borrower’s lifespan anyway?_  
  
Now, he is burying his face into his arm, the rustling of his blouse filling the emptiness of his room. A headache is coming on, so he reaches out for the aspirin that’s stored in a small box before him, right by the name plate.  
  
Trying his best to concentrate, he gives his approval for the section displays and shipment orders the managers from each floor turned in that morning. Then, he pulls out a file in a teal clear file, opens it and scans the contract with the pictures attached. Squinting at the address, he comments aloud, “It’s too far.”  
  
_Logistically, it isn’t impossible, but this nagging feeling I’ve had all day…_  
  
Knock knock knock.  
“You may come in.”  
His secretary enters. Adjusting her glasses from the side, she opens his appointment book. “I’m just here to remind you that you should be leaving now in order to make your 5:00 in Higashi-Koganei. Would you like me to accompany you?”  
He shakes his head. “No, please hold down the fort until I come back.”  
“Sir, you’ll be returning?” Her boss sure was surprising her today. “It is a holiday tomorrow.”  
It isn’t the first time she’s had to remind him.  
  
“Oh. Well, that doesn’t matter. I’ll be in Shinjuku later because I’ve got many things to sign.”  
Her shoulders lift up about to say something, but go down again as she decides against it.  
Even with his head watching the documents before him, he asks, “Do you have another question, Ms. Kuroki?”  
“None, Sir.”  
Turning around, she stops a bit when he unexpectedly says, “Thank you.”  
  
Closing the door, she shrugs her shoulders. “He’s back to normal again. Where did all that vigor from this morning vanish to?”  
  
**+/+/+/+/+/**  
_  
What kind of company president takes the train?_  
  
But he didn’t believe in being ostentatious. That was reserved for his mother and all his other relatives. He lived among them, but he refused to be like them.  
  
Shou even stood up so that an older woman could sit down as the afternoon rush began. Looking out the window, he smiled at the telephone poles and looked down the elevated tracks. How times had changed when he had to give the ticket to the conductors and now all he had to do was swipe a card.  
  
_The Chou skyline…this skyline’s just as dazzling as the first time Aunt Sadako brought me to change my last name to hers. The trips never seemed complete without seeing the roofs blinding me with the sun’s reflection upon them.  
  
On that day, I’d seen a rainbow and the manic Tokyo appeared almost angelic. After all, it was a miracle that I’d lived to see it at all.  
  
But without a doubt, I’d switched one precious thing for another: I’ve given away my heart in order to prolong this existence. Ironically, I realized years later, that meant one and the same within this body._  
  
Eyeing the steel grooves of the train, his hand grips onto the railing more than ever.  
  
Three stations later, he steps off the train, out of the gates of Higashi-Koganei, and onto a street aligned with taxis.  
  
Following the phone map directions, he walks confidently towards his destination with the clear file tucked away into his leather briefcase. Patting his chest, the qualm in his stomach crunches more than ever.  
_  
Why do I feel so uneasy?  
_  
The path leads him to a strange looking abode: A mushroom dome with straw, slanted rooftops, almost magical looking with windows asymmetrically ascending in a spiral fashion. He marvels alone at each sparkling stained glass illuminating popular scenes of stories from around the world: The little mermaid walking for the first time with her knife-like steps or an extremely beautiful woman giving a man an air kiss.  
Without even lifting the sleek cat knocker, a gregarious man opens the door with a pipe in his mouth. “Ah, Mr. Maki, you are a prompt creature. I like that.”  
Blinking his eyes, Shou nods his head and bows. “I take it that you are Mr. Marron?”  
He takes off his shoes at the genkan as they walk into the living room. The outside does not parallel the brilliance contained inside of it. With a child’s wonder, he looks up to the tall ceiling to find birds going through the small doors above. The house itself is resembles a hollowed out log, deep and brown with shelves embedded along the silver winding staircase. A kitchen is a few feet away and two steps up, the bronze kitchenware hanging against the wall. To his right, there is a long desk with a computer and a long row of model buildings. Another small table is right next to it with a miniature shopping mall, a current project he’s working on.  
But Mr. Marron seems to read his mind as he gestures for him to sit on a straw chair, the cushion so soft, Shou almost blurts out that he wants to buy the same one for his house.  
“I am not an architect or part of construction,” Mr. Marron comments as he goes to the kitchen. “This is for my storyboard. I can’t write without having a 3D model.”  
Shou bends down to look at a familiar neighborhood with a patisserie, bookstore, electric shop, field, and shrine. “It’s like Musashi-Sakai before all the buildings came.”  
Pouring earl tea into a porcelain cup, Mr. Marron nods his head. “Exactly. Or at least, that’s what I remembered what it looked like, especially the shops in front of the station. How would you know for one so young?”  
“I’ve researched various maps.”  
“And is that the real reason why you’re here, Mr. Maki?”  
The pointed question came out of nowhere. The older man hands over the saucer into the businessman’s hands.  
“Yes,” Shou admits without thinking twice.  
  
“There’s a desperate look in your eyes. It seems more than a passing whim for you to search through the past.” The mysterious man with cotton slacks, striped shirt, and light vest sits down to enjoy his late afternoon tea.  
Shou holds the cup in between his hands, uncertain of how he should answer.  
  
_I don’t know this person. I’ve just met him, but why do I feel like he can look right through me?_  
  
The old man smiles at him. “People who are similar can usually find each other easily.”  
Shou sat back in his seat. “Are we so alike?”  
Mr. Marron nods. “The sparkle in your eyes. You can’t hide that you have a dream living inside of you.”  
“I thought I lost it long ago…” Shou admits, wincing.  
“Oh no no no.” A chuckle escapes from Mr. Marron’s lips. He puts his pipe down on the stand next to the window. “You wouldn’t be here if that were the case.”  
“What?” Shou jokes, “Are you some sort of magician? I must admit the house is quite intriguing.”  
“Yes. I weave a lot of worlds here,” the old man admits.  
“Then why are you selling your land?”  
“Actually, I’m…” He taps on his chin, the bristles of his beard poking his finger. “…looking for someone to take care of my life’s work.”  
“I’m sure there were many offers so why-“  
“I turned them all away.”  
“That makes no sense.”  
“You have the right look.”  
“Excuse me? I don’t understand what you’re getting at.”  
It is then that older man laughs to himself, but nods confidently. “Give me your proposal. I’ll look it over and give you an answer. Come back again, same time next week.”  
“All right…” Not sure if he’s acquired what he’s come for, Shou opens his briefcase and hands over the clear file, but as he does so, a beige and brown dress slips out.  
  
Immediately Shou grabs for the dress before it hits the floor, squeezing it in between his fingers. His bag clatters to the floor, but he doesn’t bother to pick it up.  
  
“Seems important to you. A doll’s dress?”  
He opens his palm out to see that the dress hasn’t been damaged. He looks into Mr. Marron’s eyes. “Hope.”  
Still clenching onto the dress, he squats down to pick up his suitcase and closes it. “It represents my hope.”  
  
_“If you see this, I’ll be happy, but all the same, I wouldn’t know about it. I couldn’t bring everything and we must leave soon. Thank you, Shou,” the note said.  
  
When he placed the soft cloth against his cheek, it smelled like the wind and flowers in his garden. Her scent mixed with the salt from his eyes.  
  
“I…I…”  
_  
Putting it back into his bag as he got up, Mr. Marron holds out his hand to shake Shou’s. “We will definitely keep in touch.”  
“Thank you for meeting with me then.”  
But when he steps out of the house, a mini shower of rain left its imprints on the ground.  
  
Instead of going straight back to work, he takes a taxi towards Mitaka, making a small stop to buy something. Half an hour passes before the familiar grove comes into view. They drive up a small hill and the taxi drops him off at his house, but he turns away from it.  
  
He rushes towards the edge of the cliff just as Niya had instructed him on the same date years ago. A sprinkling of stars hide within the lavender, lilac, and raspberry stripes of twilight above him. His gaze lands on the pieces of bamboo where she’d stood to talk to him. Placing a dozen red roses there, Shou stands in the same spot until he can tear himself away, a tradition he’s done since the day they’d separated.  
  
_If you ever come back, I will never let you go.  
  
I would have stopped you back then if I had the strength. I do now. I finally became the man I wanted to be the moment you left me._  
  
The wind blows gently onto the outlines of his body, as if responding to his innermost thoughts.  
  
**Tsuzuku… / To be continued…**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I’ve watched Arrietty several times and the power of their bond never fails to amaze me. I love this couple as much as I cherish Chihiro and Haku. (Let’s not talk about my obsession over Haku to the point I bought goods from the Ghibli Museum for a character from one of their short films that looked like him .)  
> Arrietty and Shou both fascinate me for different reasons. (Okay, I was interested first because Kamiki Ryunosuke was his voice actor and I loved him ever since he was a child actor, thought he was a genius…) There’s something about Shou that completely intrigues me though I haven’t pinpointed exactly why.
> 
> Love,  
> Yui


	3. Ch. 2 – unable to be replicated or broken

**Disclaimer: Arrietty is the property of both Mary Norton and Studio Ghibli.  
**  
  
With the blackness settling and wiping the violet tints away, the view on the hill becomes more breathtaking when each residence illuminates in a serene, playful melody. Both the sky and land reflect one another, mellow dapples of light spreading as each hour passes.  
  
Before going back towards his house, he squats down to the pile of roses leaning against the bamboo. Again making a wish with closed eyes, the petals delicately graze against his forehead. He gets up, firmly gripping onto the handle of his suitcase and leaves.  
  
Skipping over the stony pathway, he laughs at himself for acting so childishly. Stepping on a crack, foolish games like that. Yesterday’s memories always envelop him, mostly cherishing the ones of his first arrival to the house. The duality of their yearning and warmth burst within his heart.  
  
Unlocking the front door, Shou turns on the lights and takes off his shoes at the genkan. Then, he places his briefcase against the wall on the second step of the staircase before walking upstairs.  
  
While he rummages through his room, he packs a shirt, slacks, and other personal supplies into a black duffel bag. About to exit, his feet stop in front of the dollhouse. His fingernails lightly tap on the roof, but soon, he gazes above it to stare at the picture he had commissioned by an artist near Inokashira Park.  
  
_The young woman brought him to the second floor of the building next to his department store. It was a rental space for artists in the community to set up their exhibits. She happened to be a children’s illustrator when he passed by on the way back from a lunch break. On a whim, he asked her if she could draw something of his choice. She wasn’t sure because she didn’t usually take requests, but she would hear him out.  
  
A week later, he came back and when he turned the corner from the banister of the stairs, she presented it to him. Anna unveiled the watercolors under the bright reflection of the windows surrounding it. In a building of white, it looked heavenly.  
  
His face said everything as she smiled at him, pleased that it seemed to match his heart’s desire.  
  
The glittering red frame surrounded a profile shot of a young woman with wavy brown-reddish hair. She was grinning with her eyes closed. Cupping her hands together, the rainbow sparkles within the wind gathered inside her palms while blowing around her hair. It was lengthened like a landscape shot rather than a portrait and only covered the face until the shoulders, but it was perfect.  
  
“Thank you,” he managed to say but couldn’t stop staring at the painting. It captured the essence of Arrietty, as if she’d pried opened his mind and directly painted over a stencil of a memory.  
  
“Is she really what you hoped for?” the artist asked.  
Still marveling at the portrait before him, he answered with a serious tone. “I was afraid that I was already forgetting.”  
  
Anna was a bit shocked at the response, but didn’t say anything more. On his way out with the precious painting in between his arms, Shou paid her twice the amount she’d asked for._  
  
Shaking his head, he leaves the room to go back downstairs.  
  
“I’ve really got to clean the house.”  
He would have gotten a maid, but the only person he’d ever trust to come in case of an emergency was Ms. Kuroki. That trust alone had taken years to even build. After what had happened with Haru, he didn’t want to go through that again.  
  
But as Shou walks down the staircase, he can’t help but hear small creaks here and there. Was it his imagination?  
Holding onto the railing, his phone starts vibrating. Flipping it up, he sees the string of messages/memos from Ms. Kuroki. He debates on whether or not to just return to the office, but decides to put the duffle bag on the foot of the stairs to make some tea before heading back.  
  
He could sleep here, but the stacks piled for him regardless of what hour of the day. Paper, though they’re becoming more digitized, is still the unfortunate norm, and they need his seal for approval. Add to the fact that he’d donated to a kindergarten so that they would learn about farming or the bookstore that carried their discounted inventory, his work multiplied in more ways than he’d estimated.  
  
Somehow through it all, he manages to keep the company afloat. Many people praise his talents and for being able to anticipate fads before they become mainstream, but deep inside, no one knows it isn’t for prestige or even the family name. It is all for her. He’s been investigating lands and sketching out plans for them to be together.  
_  
How can I make the impossibility real?_  
  
His heart begins to squeeze all over again.  
  
_Whatever I have to do, if there is even an inkling of a chance, give it to me, Kami-sama. Let me be with her._  
  
He thinks about this while pouring tap water into a kettle to boil. Sitting on the stool, Shou places his head on the counter, tiredly looking around. If he could have, he’d turn off the lights just to enjoy the moonbeam spreading into the kitchen, thinking of the times when things were simpler, when he could look at his aunt across the table and drink tea peacefully.  
  
Exhausted, he rests his eyes for a few minutes.  
  
_“You have the right look.”  
What did Mr. Marron mean by that? _  
  
In all these years, both in business and personal affairs, this is the first time a complete stranger stumped him.  
  
_Mr. Marron looked at me straight in the eye without a pitch to sell. He didn’t want anything._  
  
So without thinking, all those small insignificant worries or guards flittered away the moment he entered his space. His vulnerability didn’t feel threatened, even seeing a sliver for reliance within those kind eyes.  
_  
Reliable. It’s been so long since I’ve even touched the novelty of that very word._  
  
Fwweeeet~! The kettle whistles and he gets up to turn it off, but again, the creaking ensues. Soon, he distinctively hears a distant wailing, but can’t pinpoint where it’s coming from. Shou shuffles around the kitchen, scanning each side cautiously. The cries die out, but someone is blowing their nose and sobbing even fainter than before.  
  
“Is someone here?” he wonders aloud. His heart beats on end and he bites his lower lip.  
  
Creak.  
Shou crouches all the way down to the floor and struggles to peek at each corner until he discovers the murmurings coming from the pantry. Opening the screen door to his left, the kitchen light settles on a shelf with a very small child shaking next to a bottle of marmalade jam. The dark hair shines against the glare of the lamp’s rays, his eyes glistening with tears as he hugs the jar.  
  
“You don’t have to be afraid of me, little one.”  
  
The frightened little boy’s eyes are tightly shut. When he opens them, his lips make an “o” shape. Taking a large breath of air, about to shout or run away…  
  
…he suddenly stops with a strange realization.  
  
Staring deeply into the gentle face watching him, the tiny little boy tilts his head. He’s seen these features before, but from where? The little boy desperately tries to connect why when he’s never seen this human bean before. Or has he?  
He knows they aren’t all scary creatures…  
  
_Why isn’t he running away?_  
  
Puzzled, Shou watches the boy slowly crawl out of his space and walks towards him. He curiously brings his face closer towards the cute child.  
“It’s you!” The boy is no longer crying, but his eyes open wider with delightful recognition. He reaches out to touch the human bean’s nose with both of his hands, grinning from ear to ear. “You look like the man in mommy’s drawings!”  
  
Shou gasps.  
  
“Tsubasa! Where are you, my baby?” A woman’s voice pierces through the air and straight into his chest. It’s the same ethereal voice he’s waited all these years to hear.  
  
_It’s HER!  
  
How could I ever forget that voice? The magnificent figure that stood in front of me like fire, gazing at me defiantly as she struggled to survive to her last breath while I was already giving up._  
  
Shou stops breathing all together. His eyes open widely and blink rapidly at the kid, trying to ingest everything hitting all at once.  
_  
Tsubasa…  
Is this really her child?_  
  
At that moment, Arrietty appears from behind the marmalade jar. Her jaw drops when she sees the child touching the young man who’d grown up without her.  
“Mama!” The little boy scrambles into his mother’s arms and Shou stares at both of them not knowing how to respond: Overwhelmed at seeing her again and the possibility that she’s moved on and belongs to someone else, his heart overflows and breaks simultaneously.  
  
“Tsubasa!” Hugging her child, she rubs his back and kisses the top of his head lovingly. Then she looks at Shou, who is standing there dumbfounded.  
  
Their eyes meet again.  
  
Affectionately, she calls out, “Shou.”  
“Is that really you?” He’s broken his promise and breaks down, holding out his hand for her to climb into his palm.  
Holding Tsubasa in her arms, Shou lifts them to eye-level, but he’s shaking so he grips onto his wrist to keep their balance. Arrietty shakes her head and walks closer towards him.  
With her left hand, she rubs his eyelashes while comforting him. “Don’t cry...”  
She says this, but she’s also holding back her own tears.  
  
“I missed you so much,” his voice cracks.  
If only he could take her his arms, he’d kiss her, but instead, he brings his cheek against her warm, tiny hand. “Kami-sama…”  
“You still remember me?”  
“How could I ever forget you?”  
  
The first time he learned the word “love”: It was in her form. That was what she meant, what she’d left behind…what he’d obsessed over all these years. And no matter who came, the feeling hid itself away, unable to be replicated or broken.  
  
It had to be her. He was absolutely sure back then, but this night solidified it.  
  
“I was there. Even though my parents got mad, I came back to the house to see you…to see that you were alive from the surgery. I’ve been coming ever since.”  
“Then why didn’t you tell me? Why didn’t you let me know-“  
“I didn’t want to see with my own eyes that you’d forgotten about me.”  
  
Arrietty pushes her forehead to his cheek, unable to look at him, and holds onto Tsubasa closer towards her chest. “One day, you’d grow up and you wouldn’t search for me anymore, but…I guess I was the one who couldn’t let go.”  
She pushed further into his cheek. “Then, Mother and Father passed away. For a long time, I didn’t know what to do. I no longer had anyone to live for until Tsubasa came.”  
  
Tears fell against his skin. “I’ve seen how cruel humans can be. They burn us. They use us for money. They think we are fairies that can grant wishes.”  
  
She steps away and they look straight into each other’s eyes silently. Shou takes a deep breath, trying to listen to her pained voice, the sacrifices she has yet to tell him and the cruelties he can’t even begin to imagine. The time with Haru flashes before him, making him angry all over again. He’s disappointed with his kind too.  
It all mixes with the happiness of seeing her truly standing in front of him.  
_  
Whatever they may be, they still brought you here to me._  
  
Arrietty sighs, looking down into the lines of his hand. “Whenever I lost my strength, I ‘d come to visit this house. Sometimes you were home. You were holding onto the pin I gave you. Or you’d say my name aloud. And the hope inside me would be revived. That one day you’d find me.”  
  
“I bought all this land for you. For any of you who have survived.”  
  
_For sure, I will protect you this time._  
  
Shou’s knees give out and he slowly sits down on the floor. “I looked and looked for you until my fingers would bleed-“  
“I know.”  
His head shoots up as she lifts her head to face him.  
“Then why?” he begs for an answer again.  
“So that you would live.”  
  
Gently, she places Tsubasa down at the center of Shou’s palm as the little boy stares at the both of them quietly and sleepily. She walks up to Shou, patting his fingers and rubbing her cheek on them as tears fall. “When you collapsed to the floor and called out for your aunt when you were alone, I was there.”  
  
_So I didn’t imagine your voice then?_  
  
Again, Shou’s eyes wander, looking around in confusion.  
“’Shou, I am a part of you,’ I whispered to you before I left again. I would know if you didn’t survive. I can feel when you suffer…”  
“How?” he mumbles.  
“Because we’re cut from the same cloth of soul.”  
  
Shou then holds his left hand out to her and she slowly walks over the ridges. He feels her feet and stares at her. As soon as she stands in the middle, he quietly lifts her up. She points to his pocket so that she can jump into it.  
After taking a glimpse at the sleeping Tsubasa, she holds out her hands to push over the skin of his heart, closing her eyes. Shou caresses the waves of her hair with his fingertips.  
  
With a tranquil smile, she opens her eyes, but closes them again. Wrapping her arms around the cloth, she listens to his heart beating with her whole body.  
“I’m so glad.” She takes a long drawn out breath, but chokes on her words when she says, “Your heart sounds fine.”  
  
“Because it’s finally connected to its true owner.”  
_  
Thank you so much, Kami-sama._  
  
  
**Tsuzuku… / To be continued…**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading and supporting this fic so far! This is one couple in which it makes me believe in miracles, if that makes sense. I work slowly, but I will keep at it. I really want this couple together. Their dynamic is truly magical.
> 
> Love,  
> Yui


	4. Ch. 3 – The magic of words.

**Disclaimer: Arrietty is the property of both Mary Norton and Studio Ghibli.  
  
**  
There is a little tickle from the middle of his right palm.  
  
Shou glances over at Tsubasa who is sleeping soundly in a fetal position, warmly squishing himself into a ball. But he’s reaching out to grab Shou’s hand, making Shou’s smile tinge with melancholy.  
  
_If only he could have been mine._  
  
Arrietty opens her bright eyes and pushes onto his heart, looking up at him with the widest smile he’s ever seen. Shou places his finger over his mouth, leaning slightly towards her child. She nods her head and so she jumps into his left palm again and crossovers Shou’s cupped palms to carry Tsubasa. Lifting him up into her arms, Shou then takes it as a sign to go back to his cold water.  
  
In the center of the kitchen and on the two-tier table, they set up a make-shift bed with a yellow terry cloth towel just a little away from a basket to use as a barrier in case the child rolls over. Shou places Tsubasa into the towel, wrapping it up to his waist so that he could be warm. Cutely, the little one immediately grabs onto the cloth, snuggling against it with his tiny body. Arrietty pats his head gently before going to the edge facing the sink while Shou pulls his seat over towards them after reheating a new fresh kettle of water over the stove.  
  
Arrietty sits down on one of the magazines. Meanwhile, Shou searches the cupboards for a cup and drawers for a clean thimble. In between, he sneaks in short glimpses back at Arrietty. She’s staring down into her lap in contemplation. He finally notices her dark gray knee-length dress with the floating, wispy sleeves barely covering her shoulders. Her hair is now down past her waist but still in a thick, wavy ponytail, the clip now replaced by a sparkling blue clothespin.  
  
_She’s even more breathtaking than before._  
  
Minutely jealous over the people who saw her grow all these years and melting even more at her beauty, his temperature slowly rises along with his heart skipping a beat while opening the cupboard half way. He doesn’t notice that he’s stopped functioning altogether, completely absorbing her figure in his eyes.  
  
Putting her hand over her mouth, Arrietty’s giggle stirs his soul in its deepest corners. “Shou~?”  
“Oh!” Gulping, he closes the cupboard and brings his cup to the counter, cheeks splashed with a pink tint that he can’t hide.  
  
_She caught me! I’ve got to think of something to say-_  
  
The kettle whistles at the same time his phone rings and vibrates in his back pocket, somewhat saving him. However, it brings him back to his other reality, forcing him to crash down from all the blinding bliss. While glancing at the kitchen clock, he answers the call and turns off the stove switch. Arrietty stares up at him curiously, listening in on the conversation, but also is amused at the charm hanging from the sleek metallic red rectangle against his ear. It’s a mini replica of a sleeping Niya.  
  
“Good evening Ms. Kuroki…Yes, thank you so much for checking in with me. ..” Shou nods his head and dips in decaffeinated bags of tea into the kettle. “Oh? *sighs* I will take care of the rest of that then…I’ll go tomorrow morning to Shinjuku so you may go home…Thank you, Ms. Kuroki, and have a good night.”  
  
Arrietty wonders about this woman who can call him around midnight. It makes her heart ache a bit. Leaning on the sink with one arm over his waist, Shou sighs and stares in exasperation at his phone, inaudibly mumbling to it post-call. Turning to Arrietty, he bows his head while placing it back into his pocket. “Sorry. There’s a holiday tomorrow and I didn’t show up at the main office as I said I would. But I can’t believe…Ugh, why now?”  
  
_Why is that person always meddling? I wonder what Ms. Kuroki said. I’ll have to ask her what she wants for a bonus. Maybe two with this particular problem. Why do you always have to be so troublesome?_  
  
Shou takes out the two imported redbush tea bags from the kettle and throws them away.  
“Is something wrong?” Arrietty asks.  
“No, not really,” he replies, trying to brush it off as if it weren’t anything special. “I’ll deal with it after we’ve had tea.”  
Now noticing his attire as he comes towards her with a thimble and a cup, Arrietty inquires, “What exactly do you do?”  
“I am the head of Aunt Sadako’s company now,” he replies, placing the cup and thimble down between them.  
Another smile surfaces from Arrietty’s lips while looking straight into his eyes. Shou is adjusting his seat, but can’t keep his eyes off Arrietty. Her very presence temporarily eases his mind of the complication brought to his attention.  
“You look so grown up now.”  
“That’s not true at all,” the young businessman humbly replies, instantly looking down at the floor. He feels his entire face blazing up to his ears so he hastily takes a sip of his tea, burning his tongue in the process.  
While waiting for hers to cool a bit, he asks, “H-how did you two get here?”  
  
Arrietty’s eyes dim, looking at the rim of the thimble. “Our home is gone.”  
She doesn’t know where to focus, trying to articulate the words that make her throat close up along with the heaviness seizing her chest. “The fire destroyed our house.”  
Taking out a handkerchief, he hands it over to Arrietty as tears begin to show on her eyelids.  
“If you don’t want to talk about it, that’s fine.”  
She shakes her head. “It’s not that. It’s just Spiller went further west towards the mountains. And the area we were living at might be completely cleared soon.”  
“What do you mean?”  
“Erased as if it weren’t there. As I said before, there are kind beans, but there are cruel ones too.” Arrietty glances at her son, wanting to pat his back. “We fled and then I thought of you. It was the only place I could think of. Even if…” She stops talking when she takes a deep gulp, trying to hold back her sorrow.  
Shou strokes her back with the knuckle of his index finger to comfort her.  
  
“We took a chance to come here, but we didn’t have enough time to bring anything.”  
“I’m so thankful that you did.” He closes his eyes tightly.  
  
_If you didn’t survive, I wouldn’t have known. Then what was all this for?_  
  
Arrietty puts the corner of the handkerchief down to take a sip of her tea as Shou’s finger lingers on her back. He takes another sip of his and then pushes it aside, laying his head on the table over his left hand. Self-conscious, Arrietty adjusts her dress and brushes her hair aside nervously.  
  
For thirteen years they wanted to talk to each other, but they end up just watching one another fondly. Knowing. Things fall into place wordlessly, not needing an explanation because there’s too much to say. The gap in between seems short and forever, their unspoken feelings never changing while the world around them did. The fact that they can be in each other’s presence once again is a miracle neither one anticipated to be fulfilled.  
  
He is so close that she almost wants to kiss him. To thank him for waiting for her. Most of all, she could feel his love so much that it makes her whole body warmly shiver. No one makes her feel strong the way he does. Actually, no one ever compared to Shou, even if he is a human bean.  
  
“I have something to show you,” he excitedly announces as he takes his knuckle away. “Actually, two things, but I’ll show you the other one tomorrow.”  
Finishing her tea, she puts the thimble down. “Yes?”  
He smiles at her while lovingly taking the cloth with Tsubasa into one hand. Arrietty jumps into the other and into his pocket. Walking slowly, they leave the kitchen and go up the stairs and straight into his room. Shou turns on the light and they stop in front of the dollhouse, but Arrietty gasps, her eyes staring at the painted portrait. Her jaw drops and it’s now her turn to turn shades of red within seconds that she ducks into his pocket, clinging onto the fabric and staring down at her shoes.  
  
“What happened?” He peers down at her, huddling inside his pocket.  
“Is that really me up there?”  
“Yes, of course.”  
Without hesitation, he replies so readily that Arrietty starts to laugh. He feels the vibrations over his heart and it makes his mind swim in happiness.  
“Why are you laughing?”  
She looks up with her hands wiping her eyes. Her mouth can’t stop laughing from the joy they’re both sharing for one another.  
“I feel stupid for thinking you’d forget about me. And I’m so happy you never did.”  
“Never.”  
  
_How could I?_  
  
Shou then goes over to the bed, making a barricade of pillows to keep Tsubasa safe. He holds out his hand so that he can bring Arrietty over to inspect the dollhouse.  
  
First, he opens the kitchen. Everything is very spic and span, but Arrietty can’t help but recall the painful memory along with it.  
“If you want me to change it,” he says, watching her reaction, “I have all the materials to do so.”  
She nods her head slowly as he closes it and opens the other side of the dollhouse revealing the living room. It’s so polished that it’s practically sparkling. The paintings of people are replaced by famous places around the world like the Eiffel Tower and places he visited on business and wanted her to see.  
  
Lastly, he shows her the library. She walks inside to discover the library’s been repainted into sky blue with the desk pushed towards the bookcase so that a bed could fit inside to make it into a bedroom. But her hands clasp onto the comforter and she begins to sniff. Speechless, she can’t believe her blanket is there, looking as if it’s completely new.  
“You…”  
“I have everything else in my closet. I couldn’t bear to throw anything you owned out. I only put that blanket out.”  
  
_Your scent faded from it, but I wanted to pretend you were living here with me. It was the only thing I could do to keep sane after Aunty passed away._  
  
She turns around and he wants to ask her to live with him, but stops himself.  
  
_Is Tsubasa’s father waiting for you somewhere? Do you really belong to someone else? I’m afraid to ask.  
I…don’t want to know the answer right now._  
  
“This is yours and Tsubasa’s house. If you ever need to stay here, feel free to use it anytime.”  
“Thank you.” She walks to the edge and he picks her up, but she reaches out to touch his chin. “Do you mind if Tsubasa and I stay here for a while?”  
  
He lifts her a bit higher so that they can see each other at eye-level. The scarlet around her face matches his own, her fingers tingling as she pushes on the tip of his nose.  
  
“Of course not.”  
  
_If I could help it, why can’t it be forever?_  
  
**+/+/+/+/+/**  
  
After taking off all the stuff off the small table between the dollhouse and his bed, he gets a basket with the softest cushions and another terry cloth for Arrietty to use as her own blanket. Shou goes downstairs to clean up everything and get ready for bed. He’s only got a few hours to sleep, but is too excited to sleep and scared that this might turn out to be a very vivid dream. It happened one time and it hurt that it wasn’t true when he woke up.  
He changes his clothes and then goes back down to make sure everything’s prepared for tomorrow. After setting his phone alarm and placing it on the table closest to the window, he lays down, but his eyes won’t close. They keep staring at the basket. Though his body is on the brink of exhaustion, his mind is running as hard as it can.  
  
_She’s right there. We are under the same roof again._  
  
“Good night, Arrietty,” Shou whispers.  
“Good night, Shou.”  
  
Finally closing his eyes, he sleeps peacefully for the first time in many years.  
  
**+/+/+/+/+/**  
  
About four hours later, right before the alarm goes off, he wakes up to the sun barely glowing outside. The dawn has come, but his focus is on the basket. He sits up in bed and leans over to peer into it, seeing Arrietty and Tsubasa sleeping soundly inside. For a moment, he is overcome by the strength of all his feelings smashing into one another all at once. Most of all, he is grateful that it is all real.  
  
Shou gets ready for work and grabs something from the kitchen, wrapping it carefully to keep bugs away and brings it back to the bedroom with a note for them to find. With a satisfied grin, he dashes out and bikes to the station, which is fairly far away. Parking and locking it in, he notes that he has to pay his monthly fee. Soon he walks to the platform and is on one of the first trains of the day, but because of the holiday, not as many people are on it. The full crush of people would come about half an hour later, but at Shinjuku station, any day is a busy one. He exits the East gate and right of the large television overhead. A few blocks away, he reaches the employee entrance in the backstreet between two major roads. The guards are not surprised that rain or shine, their boss is the first employee to come, hours before opening. Quickly, he signs in, making sure his employee badge is pinned elegantly on his left breast as he goes up the elevators to his office. He tries to get everything done as fast he as he can that he’s taking more phone calls and eating the lunch he prepared at his desk just to save time.  
All the while, his private phone keeps going to voicemail.  
  
In the early afternoon, he and Ms. Kuroki make rounds to all the floors to check up on what needs to be done: Repairs, displays, approvals, future exhibits, restaurant specials, etc. The people around him immediately notice a slight difference in his manner: Hadn’t he always been stiff? Ms. Kuroki wonders if this has to do with last night’s conversation, but rejects the idea because her boss would be incensed, not motivated.  
When they get back to his office and she is repeating the rest of his schedule to him, she ends with reporting that there are no changes to his offices (both Kichijouji and Shinjuku).  
“Thank you,” he says while settling back into his desk, sliding his mouse for the computer to wake up. “Since there is nothing else, you may leave now. Take a well-deserved holiday, if at least half a day of it.”  
  
Shou looks up from his desk and at his secretary, who at the moment appears shocked and scandalized. Leaving early isn’t taken lightly in society’s eyes. Even ignoring that, is her boss of sound faculty? Did he get enough sleep? But four hours is his usual. He would never make a joke like this.  
  
“Sir?”  
“I really owe you for talking to her yesterday.” He leans back in his chair. “Besides, there’s enough staff here until closing time and all these years, you never took a day off. If anyone gives you grief over it, send them immediately to me.”  
“Are you sure?” A little voice of panic echoes inside her. She knows he’s very tired, but he wasn’t losing it right? Yesterday’s meeting with Mr. Marron certainly did a wonder on him, if anything a good one at that.  
“I insist.”  
“Thank you, Sir. Otsukaresama.”  
When she walks out the room, she's more confused, but Shou doesn’t give her reaction a second thought. He is doggedly persistent on getting home to where Arrietty and Tsubasa are.  
  
**+/+/+/+/+/**  
  
From Kichijouji Station, Shou eagerly bikes home. The flurry of leaves waving and grass in the curvaceous road never were so beautiful in his eyes, even in the darkness powdered by lights from houses along the way.  
He grins widely as soon as the house is in view, putting the bike on one side and locking it in place. He unhooks his securely tightened briefcase and practically jumps to the front door.  
  
“I’m home!” he calls out, placing his briefcase on the living room table and his jacket in the hallway closet before heading upstairs.  
He turns on the light and heads over to the basket. Tsubasa blinks his eyes drowsily, but grins at him, holding onto one side of the woven material. “Hi.”  
“Hello Tsubasa-kun. Sorry, did I wake you up?” He looks around the room but there is no Arrietty anywhere. “And where is your mother?”  
Tsubasa points downstairs. “In the kitchen. Mama said it’s bed time, but I wanted to see you. Don’t tell her I was still awake.”  
“I won’t.” Shou lightly touches his head. “Good night then.”  
“Good night.”  
“Shou-san?”  
“Yes?”  
“Can you tuck me in?”  
“Sure.”  
Tsubasa holds onto his fingertip and jiggles it a bit like they’re shaking hands. “Thank you.”  
Shou nods his head quietly, but is moved by the adorable gesture.  
  
_I already love him. He’s only been here a day..._  
  
He heads down to the kitchen and turns on the light. Arrietty is leaning on the dish rack by the sink, reading a book using the light from the window. She looks up and flashes him an incredible smile. “Welcome home, Shou.”  
  
To be able to hear those simple words have never meant so much to him as they do now.  
  
Closing her book, he points from the direction of his room to where she is.  
“You always amaze me how you can move from end of this house to another.”  
She curtsies. “Thank you.”  
“Must be the secrets of the Borrowers I take it?”  
“Yes of course.”  
“Are you hungry? Did I leave enough food for you and Tsubasa?”  
Arrietty nods her head.  
“Still enough room to eat dinner with me then?”  
“Yes.”  
  
Shou whips up something simple: An omelet with chicken and demi-glace sauce.  
At the table in the kitchen again, they bow their heads to say grace and dig in.  
  
“How do you like it?” Shou takes a hearty spoonful with the rice steaming up.  
Arrietty takes a bite from her plate and puts her hand over her mouth. “This is really good!”  
“Thanks.”  
  
After a few more bites, Shou asks, “So what did you do today?”  
“I went around looking for things we could use, but then I felt bad because I didn’t ask-“  
“Everything here is open to you. I guess I wasn’t clear last night. Treat this whole property as yours, the dollhouse even more so.”  
  
_I would give everything if you would stay. I would give everything away if I could go with you, Arrietty._  
  
“You really haven’t changed at all.” A troubled look appears on her face. “I know you’re generous, Shou, but you keep giving everything to me. I’m not used to it.”  
  
And what can I give you in return? Her reticent thoughts repeat inside her without a word aloud.  
  
He looks down into his lap in contemplation. “Remember I said I have something to show you yesterday?”  
“Yes.”  
He holds out his arm towards her so that she can climb onto his shoulder. “Maybe this will explain what I mean.”  
  
Clinging onto his collar, they ascend the steps towards the door next to Shou’s bedroom. It is the one where they escaped to years ago when Haru had locked him from the outside. Shou takes out his set of keys from his pocket and finds the right one. Apparently, he got new locks but with the same type of design as before. The key itself is metal, but has a silver finish.  
He pushes the door open, but before flicking the light switch, he instructs, “Close your eyes.”  
Holding her head up, Arrietty’s eyes are visibly closed.  
  
Shou steps inside and turns their bodies towards the left side of the room.  
“Now, open your eyes,” he proudly says.  
  
Click.  
Arrietty opens her eyes widely as the light floods the room. Her jaw drops along with a shocked gasp followed by her hands going over her mouth. “What is all this? It’s unbelievable!”  
  
Everything from the bust to an antique radio were pushed to the right while a large thick table was bolted along the left side of the room. The former storage room has been half converted into sets created perfectly for Arrietty’s use.  
  
What he couldn’t say to Mr. Marron yesterday was that he too had something similar in his own home, only not as large or detailed. In addition to the improvements on the dollhouse, he had clothes made for Arrietty so there was a big closet with dresses, skirts, shirts, and shoes. Next to it is a sewing area in case she needed to adjust anything. There is even a small workshop with empty shelves in case she wanted to create or save anything along with quality sacks and bags to carry her treasures. At the end of this showcase is a mini garden if she wanted to grow anything.  
  
All this time, Arrietty is shaking her head in disbelief. Absolutely speechless. There are too many clashing thoughts ramming against each other, her eyes scanning from one end of the table to the other and her hands are still covering her mouth.  
His thoughts are spread out so clearly on this table. The amount of time and dedication he spent, especially seeing how hard he already works, on her. Just for _her_. He didn’t know if he would see her again, but Shou never gave up.  
  
He holds his arm out and she barely recognizes any feeling in her legs as she walks onto the table.  
  
“Little by little, since you’ve been gone, I made this for you and your family.”  
Arrietty turns around to look at him, an image of his past self transposes over his current one. She feels truly proud of him.  
“So anything on this property, use it as you like. I will protect you as long as I breathe. I promise.”  
  
_All these years, I did it all hoping you’d come back to me._  
  
Arrietty reaches out to touch his arm, clinging on as tears fall down her cheeks. Sobbing, Arrietty manages to finally say something. “I’m glad I came to you…”  
  
**+/+/+/+/+/**  
  
Later that night, as they’re about to sleep, Shou once again faces their basket, smiling to himself.  
When he’s about to close his eyes, Arrietty peeks out and walks over to his pillow. “I wanted to say thank you again, Shou.”  
“You’re welcome,” he whispers back.  
But she walks up closer towards him and sits a few inches from his eyesight. “I’d like to sleep here.”  
  
Gulp.  
He nods his head slowly, stunned that they’re occupying the same bed. His heart beats a little faster as he watches her patting the area around her and then lies on the pillow, her body sinking lightly into the fluffiness. He reaches over to take the corner of the sheet and places it over her body.  
  
When he leaves his hand out towards her, she reaches out to touch one finger with her whole hand, clasping onto it. Soon, they fall asleep, watching the other until their eyes could no longer keep open.  
  
**+/+/+/+/+/**  
  
Several days speed by.  
  
Commuting between his house, the two department stores, and appointments, Shou excellently manages to maneuver his way through hosting a summer exhibition for Hokkaido food specialties and a yukata sale along with the individual themes of many brands around the floors in both stores.  
More impressive than that, the people around him have noticed he’s become more personable. He isn’t as intimidating and scary these days. They can’t exactly pinpoint what is it that makes him more approachable, but no one is more surprised than Ms. Kuroki, whose daily contact with her boss makes the change so obvious to see as opposed to everyone else around them. The transformation is startling for her to say the least.  
  
  
Typing a draft for his next meeting with Mr. Marron, he opens another one and stares at it blankly.  
  
_I can’t come up with a solution fast enough for that problem, but time is running out until she makes her move._  
  
Ms. Kuroki once again appears at that certain hour of the day. Shou stops typing and she gives her follow-up reports on each project as well as the rundown for the rest of the day and tomorrow’s meeting agenda. Lastly, she finishes, “And I found nothing amiss in your office today, Sir.”  
He smiles to himself, eyes closing and she sees it happen, but still can’t believe it. What is with that smirk on his face?  
Pulling out a card from the top drawer, he hands it to her. “Do you mind calling this shop for me? Please negotiate a time for me to meet them tomorrow.”  
“Your schedule is full tomorrow.”  
“I know, but I need to get this done as fast as possible,” he entreats.  
  
_Tsubasa needs his own room and some new clothes._  
  
She looks down at the card and turns it over. It is an artist’s card for tiny replicas. What is the relationship between this person and her boss? He’s never ever mentioned a hobby or other since he’s so private about his life. In fact, if anyone, she’s the only one who knows the most about him here at work.  
“I will explain another time if you’re wondering.” He looks her straight in the eyes. “Without me saying so, you do know there are only two people I trust in this world.”  
“Sir?”  
“You are one of those people.”  
Ms. Kuroki bows her head. “Thank you.”  
Exiting the room, she sighs, feeling more perplexed than ever. There is definitely something happening outside the confines of work. His vice will surely show itself sooner or later, and she doesn’t know if she’ll be ready for it.  
  
**+/+/+/+/+/**  
  
That night, Shou has dinner with both Arrietty and Tsubasa. Afterwards, he watches Tsubasa take a bath in the bathroom sink, keeping an eye on him as the child is giggling and splashing around. Then they tuck Tsubasa in with Arrietty patting his tummy until he is snoring into dreamland.  
  
When Shou is about to turn around, Arrietty whispers, “Shou, take me with you.”  
She walks up his arm and they go down to the living room. Shou opens up the doors of the veranda so that the breeze can pass through the house. They both glance over at the garden before walking over to the table. He cups his hand to drop her off onto the floor while he sits down in front of his laptop and the messy pile of papers.  
Walking around with her new orange sack, she explores around for new openings and items as Shou tries to finish the one document he couldn’t wrap up at work.  
She tiptoes out to the veranda, the wind blowing through the whole house in a cool breath with scents of hydrangeas and other flowers from the garden. He takes a glimpse at her and continues to work.  
  
All the while, Arrietty is pondering if it is right to stay here. Will her son learn the things he needs to if he is in the comfort of a human bean? Does she have the right to live here with Shou? Did she really deserve all the things he’s given her?  
Even she didn’t know how much her speech out on that field meant to him until he showed her that table with all the things he made for her.  
  
An hour passes and Arrietty’s voice cuts into the quietude. “Shou?”  
Arrietty walks onto the table, standing next to one of the documents Shou is skimming through while dually watching the computer screen.  
He stops and closes the laptop to focus on her. “Yes?”  
Looking up, she holds up her hands. Without a word, he takes her up so that they can talk eye-to-eye. He tilts his head, watching her.  
  
_To think that it took this many years and finally, she’s really here. I still can’t believe it. Anything that’s happened before this moment doesn’t matter._  
  
“Higher,” she instructs until she puts her hands on his forehead and he closes his eyes.  
  
_All the things that I had to do. All the walls I had to break open for this very moment to happen._  
  
She hugs him, pushing against his skin. It sends ripples throughout his entire body.  
“You look pale lately. Don’t overwork yourself.”  
“Even if it’s a minute longer to see you and Tsubasa, I will come back home.” Shou runs his finger lightly down her hair.  
Her head lingers on his forehead. “Let’s go to bed, Shou.”  
  
Setting up the sink water, she takes a bath. With his legs out and crossed, Shou sits in the hallway against the bathroom door with his clothes next to him, a towel over his shoulder and a book in his hand.  
The second she starts to hum in between the splashing, he looks up to the ceiling.  
  
_You’re really trying my patience from up there, aren’t you? You not only sent her back even prettier than before, she’s even cuter than when we first met. I know I begged for this, but still…_  
  
Inside the bathroom, Arrietty is pouring the water over her head.  
  
“Arrietty, I don’t mean to bother you, but can I ask you a question?”  
“Yes?”  
“What are Tsubasa’s favorite colors? I wanted to get him some new clothes so I’m ordering them tomorrow.”  
“You don’t have to. I can adjust some of the things you’ve already given.”  
“I want to buy him his own things.”  
She knows she can’t fight against that persistent tone in his voice, but is endeared by the fact that he loves him too. It makes her smile widely to herself. If Shou only knew that one important detail she refused to reveal.  
  
“He likes blue, white, and green. Sometimes red.”  
“All right. Thanks.”  
“Shou?” She gets out and wipes her body off, rubbing her hair with the towel.  
“Yes?”  
“I’m happy I brought him here. He acts like he knows this place even though he only came once when he was a baby. After my parents passed away.” She put on her pajama top and shorts. “You’re really the only person I could turn to.”  
“What about Spiller?”  
“He’s the leader of our community. He led them all west of the Chuo Line.”  
  
After a long pause, she announces, “I’m done.”  
  
**+/+/+/+/+/**  
  
Taking a quick shower, Shou is going over Arrietty’s words in his mind. He was thinking about what she said last time but didn’t want to bring up the subject in case it upset her, so he waited for her to bring it up herself.  
  
_Her parents have passed away, but where? Can I have them buried in this yard? Will she let me?  
And who is Tsubasa’s father? Why doesn’t she ever talk about him?_  
  
He wants to know the man who gave her a child. Again, those vicious pangs of jealousy seize him, the pain of not being able to really do anything for her.  
And somewhere in his heart, he knows she will itch to go somewhere. How can he respect that without falling apart now that she’s reappeared in his life?  
  
_After all, she is adventurous. This lifestyle doesn’t suit her. Her pride in herself and as a Borrower will not let her sit down for too long. But while she’s thinking, can she at least know she can always return here?  
  
That she will always have me.  
  
I don’t want her or Tsubasa to go…_  
  
Shou comes to the bedroom and peeks at Tsubasa before going to lie on his side of the bed. He smiles silently at her, but she gets up from her spot with a serious look, chest trembling in nervousness. He watches as strands of his damp hair push onto the pillow. She goes up to him and leans in, kissing his upper lip and then steps back. Completely dumbstruck, he’s at a loss of what he should do for her. Impulsively, he kisses her ear and some of her hair. She starts to laugh gleefully, the kiss enwrapping her skin within all its heat.  
“I love you so much,” he whispers, the words penetrating right through all the bones in her body.  
She crawls towards his ear and says, “I love you too.”  
  
The magic of those words makes time stop, dipping into the golden falling star called joy. Often sought after, but rarely caught long enough to make a wish.  
  
He pulls her closer so she can sleep right by him, an inch away from between his forehead and his eyes. She touches his eyelashes, the effect is soothing and electrifying. They fall asleep contentedly, their hearts painted securely with the light and dark glittering shades of happiness.  
  
For now, nothing else exists except the three of them being together in their little edge of the universe.  
  
**Tsuzuku… / To be continued…**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This couple is so waffy, and I’m REALLY enjoying it! Usually, I prefer angsty couples.  
> As I write this, my cheeks are blushing profusely (and it’s summer!) that I only notice because they’re burning. They really are an adorable couple, bringing out a whole new experience to fangirling that I’ve yet to discover! (I didn’t think that was possible with all the screaming/shouting I’ve done throughout my lifetime. You don’t want to talk to me about FF7, Gravitation, Tokyo Babylon, or Initial D.)
> 
> My favorite part for the chapter is that he renders himself non-functional because he can’t help but stare at her and gets jealous over it too. Silly, but cute.
> 
> I…didn’t expect this chapter to be long, but let’s just savor it because I like feeling the experience slowly. There are times I feel I’m so eager to end something that the content loses the potential to become so much more.
> 
> Hope you enjoyed it! I need to calm down, along with my cheeks! (And I’m squealing even more right now because I’ve just been told there’s a new Initial D arcade game coming out next week on the 23rd!)
> 
> Love,  
> Yui


End file.
